Hood Research, Haunted Houses & Harlem Roots Story of Theo Broughton

Published on March 19, 2025 in Introduction by Khary Frazier

“You stay vibrant, you stay young, you stay healthy by participating in the life that’s going on around you.” On this episode of Detroit is Different, we sit down with the incomparable Theo Broughton, a true pillar of Detroit’s Black political and cultural community. As the co-founder of Hood Research, Theo has spent decades shaping political awareness, fostering community engagement, and preserving Black history in the city. From Harlem’s jazz era—where her father played saxophone with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong—to the mid-1950s when she arrived in Detroit, Theo shares her journey through the city’s evolution. We dive into her deep involvement in Detroit’s political landscape, from working alongside the legendary Barbara-Rose Collins to leading community forums with greats like Dr. Claud Anderson and Bob Law. She recounts her groundbreaking haunted house project that brought joy and excitement to Detroit’s youth, her years of activism through media, and her relentless push for civic engagement. Theo’s wisdom, passion, and storytelling bring history to life as she reflects on how Detroit has changed and what the future holds for its people. Tune in for a conversation that is as inspiring as it is deeply rooted in Detroit’s legacy of resilience and empowerment!

What began as a journey engaging hip-hop audiences, has grown into a career as a marketing consultant. As business people have seen my work, I was propositioned many times to provide graphic design, photography, videography, event planning, website development, and social media campaigning. These initial business contracts inspired me to build Creative Differences Marketing. I’ve balanced my entrepreneurial experience with formal education from Walsh College of Business and Accountancy. My degree in Marketing serves me well in understanding many of the formal, universal, and theoretical marketing approaches used in corporate environments.Formulating this business model has been anchored by the success of my BLOG ‘Detroit is Different.’ I create all content for Detroit is Different. This serves as a prototype of the ways I can design events, websites, graphics, music, podcasts, social media campaigns, and e-mail campaigns. ‘Detroit is Different’ focuses on the people and places of Detroit that add to the culture. Through these people and places, themes are driven. These themes will partner with, sponsor, and advertise for businesses and organizations using this innovative multilevel marketing approach.